Flexible coupling



sept, 2e, vi926.

4Parent ersten.' l

' WALTER n. nAUG'Ln'n. 'or Bosron, MA's'sAorUsn'rTs.

Application 'filed January 11, 1921.,V `Serial No. 436,408.

This invention relates to l'flexible couplings for sliaftin'g andl more particularly to shfafting wherein one shaft to be coupled is afngularly disposed to its coacting shaft, as

I is zcommonin motor fdri'ven'vehicles and the like. Y

An object ofthis invention is to produce a flexible coupling that is simple in construction and composed of the minimum number of parts consistent with the 'result to relatively each with the other, in :parallel 2 paths an "appreciable distance greatly in Y J"ecess of the'"am0in-nt 'ordinarily "required to 'compensate Hier #the angular relations 'of 'icoupl'edgshafting- Y A further Y@late ctf'of this invention is to so foon'strut'and lar-range tihe flexible -Inem-' vthe s'haffting AScoupled,land therefore the'vse- Y y fcurl-ngibolts are released from strain thatA wotild otherwise bek imp'o'sed `npon'tlhem.

' It is a `further :object of the invention to so devise a coupling that-1t Vmaiy, if neces-y sary, be repaired on th'e road, referring more A lpaiticfularly tol the Epower "transmitting 'mem- V4'0 bers, andfrnot require-"the services of kan n end 11s rigidly secured to one 'of the farms l #bil-ityrofthepower transmittingmembers.'

o fthe Afat/tafilnineit `of the above objectsV Vlthe invention consists -in certain v'novel ifea;

tures of vconstruction and arrangement 'Of V to t e hereinafter fgiven. Y

fend of the shafts may respectively.

'the ruse intended. i

Figure 2 'is an elevation looking toward the left Figure l. l y Y Figure 3Y is a detail ofone 'of thefleXible members shown in Figure l in Yits normal condition. Figure 4l an edge view of Figure llookin-g toward the left. l

Figure 5V a view similar to Fignre 4, illustnating the .position that the flexible Vmember would at times assume when used -in coupling two -angularly -disposed shafts.

Figure 6 a top vplan view of Figure.` I Figure 7 a View similar to Figurel Vi-lflnsy trating the member under the same cond-itions as Figure 5. n i A Referring to thedrawings: f For the purpose of explanation lOjis or may be 'a drive shaft from some suitable source of lpower such as an internal 'combustion engine common to motor vehicles; 11 a. driven shaft; 12-13 are enlarged heads fiXedly secured to the sl-iafts lO-lflrespec- 16-'-17 radiating therefrom the arms 16--17 ofthe head 13 being arranged vperpend-*ieuf larly to the arms 14e-15 of the headl2nas readily lseen in Figures land 2 of .the drawings. 1 I l v s s The several arms at the Yends thereof are provided with holes to-yreceive bolts which A fare adapted `to firmly secure the flexible .power `transmitting membersin place.

In vorder to V.coupleV the two-shaftsl 10,-1l together vso 'that they may assume, lif needbe,

'angularly relative positions, as indicated byY dotted lines A and B, Figures 2 l'and 5 flexible members 18-19-20 and 21 Vare employed. @ne end of each `of the flexible vmembers is rigidly connected to one ofthe arms 14?-15 ofthe lhead 12 vwhile the o'ther 16-17 of the head1?) by :the bolts 22-23 The order-'of assembling these members isnot materialbut that shown in Figure 2 is a-conv'enient disposition thereof suitable for Figure 3 f shows. a detail y'of one o-fx fthe members 18 detached yand inits normal con--` dition, attentionbeingfcalled tof'its crescentlihe shape and to the fact thatgreater width In Figure 5 the same member in edge view is shown as it would appear when the shaft ll assumes an angle to the shaft 10 as would be the case in the generality of motor driven vehicles.

Figure 7 illustrates the same member in plane view in the condition shown in Figure 5 and clearly shows the line of travel of the end 25 having the hole 2G relatively to the end 2T having the hole 28. It is an object of this invention to provide flexible power transmitting members that will not stretch or tend to stretch as would straight-edged links if used in place of the present members; in fact straight-edged links as shown in numerous existing patents could not be used in place thereof and permit angular relative positions of the shafts l0-ll.

The shape of the flexible members is such as to enable the ends thereof to be moved relatively back and forth across and approximately at right angles to their normal plane, in paths parallel to said shafts, for a considerable distance. It will be readily seen that movement of either of the ends 2526 as `iust described, would cause a pe euliar, yet even and graceful, twist to the member 18 throughout nearly its entire length or for approximately the distance indicated by the median line D. D. Figure 3, and it is due to the disposition of the stock in the body of the member 18 that the member may be flexed the required amount and still maintain the required distance between the centres of the holes 26-2S- In other words, the member 18 will not be stretched but will twist to such extent and in such manner as to compensate for slightly increased distance between the centers of the holes 26-28 as the relative angularity of the shafts lO-ll demand, as will be readily seen by reference to Figures G and 7. The dotted lines 50 and 60 in said figures clearly indicating the centers of the holes Q6 and 2S and the fact that the distance between said center lines does not change when the member is flexed.

It is likewise an object of this invention to eliminate as much as possible the detrimental effects of centrifugal action and in this instance the novel shape of the flexible members is such that the centers of the weight (or gravity) of the members coincides with the center line or axes of the shafts or approximately so, and therefore being so disposed the bolts Z2-23 will be subjected to the strains arising from the transmission of power and flexing of the power transmitting members only.

It is also an object of this invention to provide power transmitting members with the maximum convenient length of body of the member along the median line thereof., for the minimum distance between the secured ends thereof.

The cresent-like shape of the members accomplishes this object, and in so doing the secured ends as 2:3-27 may be moved relatively, as before explained, a considerable distance while the body of the member as a whole, will partake of a twist which is distributed along the length of the body, or approximately the median line thereof, and consequently the tendency to breakage or even crystallization of the member is prac tically eliminated.

It has been found that the slight twis.r that the member undergoes in the ordinary use thereof does not detract from its strength for transmission purposes, as the twist is very slight and the members are reinforced as at C-C to oli'set any weakening tendency that might exist.

It is obvious that various changes might be made in the disposition of the members and in the shape thereof without departing` from the spirit and scope of this invention; therefore it is nottbe intention to limit this invention to the precise construction and arrangement herein shown and described, but rather it is the intention to claim broadly the flexible nonstretchable members secured to separate power transmitting mediums.

Having described the invention, I claim:

l. In a device of the class described, a drive member; a. driven member; and fiat power transmitting members rigidly secured to said members having bodies, the median lines of the faces of which are longer than the distances between the ends thereof.

2. In a device of the class described, a drive member; av driven member; and flat power transmitting members rigidly secured to said members, of such construction that the median lines of the faces of the bodies thereof are longer than the distance between the securing points thereof.

3. In a device of the class described, a drive member, a driven member; means on said members to which power transmitting members are rigidly secured; and flexible crescent shaped power transmitting members rigidly secured to said means.

4t. In a device of the class described, a drive shaft; a driven shaft; arms secured to and radiating from said shafts; flexible crescent shaped power transmitting members adapted to be secured to said arms, one end of each member being rigidly secured to an arm on the drive shaft, the other end being rigidly secured to an arm on the driven` shaft; and means to rigidly secure said ends on said arms.

5. In a device of the class described, a drive shaft; a driven shaft; means on said shafts to which power transmitting members are secured; power transmitting members the ends of which are secured to said means and of such construction that the centre of gravity of each of the said memof the said shafts.

6. In a" device of the class described, a drive member; a driven member; and Hat flexiblel non-stretehablev power transmitting cured to said drive and driven members, and of such construction and arrangement as to twist upon deflection of the drive or driven members whereby the ends of thesaid transmitting members will ymaintain their pre-V determined radial angular relationship."

7. 'In a device of the class described, a plurality'of revoluble members a plurality of bowed power transmitting,connectors the ends of which are rigidly secured Vto said revoluble members in such manner as to transmit power from one of said y:members to the other, said connectors being so as-V 8.Y In a' device of the class described, a plu- Y rality of revoluble members; a plurality of power transmitting connectors therelorv the ends of which are secured thereto', of such of the body of each connector midway thereof overlaps that of the other connectors.

construction and arrangement that a portion Y i members the ends of which are rigidly se- 9. In a flexible coupling of the class deber; a flexible power transmitting unit in-V termediate said members including a plurality of flat arcuate sections circularly arranged and normally disposed in parallel spaced relation, each section being rigidly securedy at its ends in such manner as to transmit power between the said members, and each being of such arrangement that the portion between the secured ends may be flexed an appreciable amount without injury thereto.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass., this 4th day of December, 1920.

WALTER E. NAUGLER. 

